OPINION - Democracy Comes to the LABBy Alice Chan
Listeners will soon have an opportunity to elect members of KPFA’s Local Advisory Board -- the LAB -- for the first time. The current Board has established an election committee with a goal of elections this Spring.
At its meeting Wednesday Jan. 19th, the LAB heard a presentation by David Greene of Northern California Citizens for Proportional Representation. David’s organization is acting in a non-partisan capacity to advise the KPFA community on election options. David proposed the immediate establishment of an election committee made up of representatives from the various KPFA community support groups; this committee will forge a plan for elections of the Local Advisory Board members, and present it at the February LAB meeting. The LAB enthusiastically approved his proposal.
Why is democracy at the LAB level so important? It’s the first step towards listener control of the airwaves. As things now stand, we provide most of the station budget, but that is the end of our involvement. Even KQED subscribers have more say-so in the operation of that station than we KPFA listeners do. An elected LAB will be more accountable and responsive to the listeners.
There is a second, more subtle reason that may be just as important. Currently, the LAB appears to be demoralized. Since the change in the by-laws, they have no power, and as is only natural, an apparent lack of enthusiasm reflects that lack of power. The change in their name speaks volumes. Once they were The Station Board. Now they are the Local Advisory Board -- and the Pacifica National Board gives not a hoot for their advice.
It’s said that before the change in the by-laws, LAB members showed up on time for meetings, and there was never a problem establishing a quorum. This is not true now, and it’s understandable, given their lack of power. Electing the board members is the first step in re-empowering the board. Another step would be to stop calling this board the advisory board. The name should be the Local Area Board.
The current goal is to have a plan for elections in time for the next Pacifica National Board meeting the last weekend in February. We at North Bay for KPFA feel that it’s a mistake to even consider the Pacifica National Board in this process. The PNB call for local board elections, like their call for more "diversity," is just another way the National Board keeps the local people hopping, reacting to what they think will keep the PNB happy, rather than striking out in creative and revolutionary ways of their own.
So by all means, let’s move ahead towards democracy at KPFA’s Local Area Board. And let’s stop worrying about what the Pacifica National Board thinks of our actions.
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